A Life Worth Living
by TheLionTree
Summary: Silus makes a deal with the NCR concerning his freedom. In exhcange for informatoin that can be used against the Legion he enters a correctional facility for reeducation. While he's there he meets a young theif named Aubrey and starts a new life.
1. Chapter 1

The gateway to the prison rolled on its track, opening the barred door with the clattering of metal casters. A large foot in simple leather shoes stepped out onto the dusty yard for the first time, kicking up sand into the eyes of the inmate, who then leaned back against the fence so the handcuffs could be removed from his wrists. Silus hadn't been in prison long, but he'd learned the protocols quickly and adhered to them with a precision brought about by years of Legion training.

The sun beat down on Silus, penetrating his skin through the thin blue fabric of the NCRCF prison uniform. The loose fabric made him feel almost naked. The thin cotton covered his body more than than his tunic ever had. It was probably the lack of armament, he felt vulnerable with out his trophies, and he hated it. The former Legionary turned his head and looked up at the sun, squinting for just a second, and then back at the prison guards watching him from beyond the fence.

Boyd, that annoying woman who smoked to much and talked to him like he was a moron, had hired the courier to strike a deal with him under threat of violence. Silus now wondered if letting the courier kill him wouldn't have been a superior fate to NCR imprisonment. It was just a matter of time till a Frumentarii got a knife in him, but that wasn't his biggest concern right now. What worried Silus the most was fitting in amongst the people of the prison. After all some of the inmate's could have grudges against the Legion.

"No one will know who you are," Boyd's voice echoed in his head. "We will file your paper work under a false name. Not even the guards will know who you are. For your safety of course."

He'd hated the pause before 'for your saftey,' as if Boyd didn't believe that Silus's life was in danger the second he was captured. To make matters worse he'd fingered the Frumentarii feeding information to Caesar, a Captain Curtis, from a book of photographs of commanding NCR officers. The deal was supposed to be a week in jail for processing, then Silus had to attend a month long intergration seminar aimed at making better NCR citizens out of the incarcerated, and then he was a free man. Of course he'd bartered for more than freedom, he was done serving blindly in the military, and wanted something of his own before a Legion assassin found him and ended his life. The promise was that Silus would soon have a few Acres of viable farm land in the northern part of California, and he found himself looking forward to it.

Land. That was what Silus had been dreaming about for years. Something left over from his tribal past probably. Something that said you could redeem yourself for all of the lives you've taken, all of the orders you've followed blindly for that megalomaniacal fool, if only you'd dig your fingers into the soil deep enough. If you'd just bring up the dark black earth to your nostrils enough times that you'd learn when dirt needs manure or a change in crops, surely God would forgive you for all of the mistakes you'd made in your lifetime. You'd be part of everything then, another piece of nature, and in bringing life to the ground you'd save what was left of the soul you'd been carrying around for a lifetime.

So with the promise of a small house and a small plot of land to call his own, Silus had betrayed the only family he'd ever really known. Still it wasn't easy, standing here on the dusty edge of the Mojave as the sun beat down on his light blue uniform with the yellow lettering. Anything could be out in the prison yard. Anyone might recognise him at any time and then the whole gig would be up.

"Move away from the fence now feller," a guard behind him croaked. "You aren't gonna be here long, so you might as well go make some friends."

Silus turned and looked at the middle aged guard who was holding his rifle like a security blanket. The cowardly man barking orders from the other side of the wall annoyed Silus. The high cheekbones and strong forehead that defined Silus's face curled a little, a glare coming to his lizard like yellow eyes that would have made his recruits piss their pants. Before he said something stupid Silus remembered himself and turned away from the guard. Both hands in shallow pockets Silus made a note about how he hated the way the cloth felt moving between his legs while he walked. It was a minor complaint, but it was also a welcoming the distraction from his worries.

Moving into the center of the prison yard, Silus recalled that he had been given a bunk number, but was told not to worry about any supplies he'd need till later. Unsure what to do with himself Silus found a seat on a picnic table at the edge of the compound and watched the other prisoners interact. A few men were tossing a bloated Brahmin bladder around in some kind of sports game. To his left several people were at their own tables talking, but what caught Silus's attention was the presence of several female inmates who seemed to huddle in small groups for protection. They looked so free to him, despite their obvious incarceration. They talked and laughed with an ease that betrayed the fact they had never known slavery, and of all the strange things he'd been surrounded with today, this was the one that made him feel the most out of place.

Sighing to himself Silus leaned back, his shoulder length black hair coming loose a little bit, forcing him to tuck the strands back behind his ears. He pressed his hands to his face then and then looked out across the yard again. Saying a little prayer to Mars out of habit, Silus held his breath for a moment and tried to assure himself he could fit into this society somehow. That's when he felt a small tap on his shoulder and turned around.

* * *

><p>The woman who had touched Silus was about five feet tall, with well muscled arms, and dark red hair. She smiled at Silus across a maze of freckles, her eyes narrowed against the harsh over-head sun.<p>

"Hey fish," She said to him, "You're a big one, and I could use some help around here. What me to show you the ropes, Fish?"

The look on Silus's face morphed from anger, to confusion, to disgust. He stood up slowly, his nearly seven feet of height dwarfing the little woman in front of him. The irritation Silus was feeling grew when she just shielded her eyes to look up at him and didn't seem very impressed.

"I can take care of myself," Silus growled.

"See there's a lot you don't know," The woman responded as she sat on the bench next to where Silus was just sitting. Arching his eyebrows in surprise Silus looked at the place as she gestured for him to sit, and remained standing. If this bothered the woman she didn't show it. Instead she stretched her shoulders and looked over at a group of prisoners, one of which nodded and flashed a shank at Silus for a second. Receiving the threat for what it was, Silus took a place on the bench next to the woman out of a desire not to cause trouble on his first day. After all the men in the door with the shank would provide no real challenge for Silus in a fight, but they didn't know that and right now that was to his advantage.

"I think you have all the thugs you could need," Silus complained.

"Those guys aren't my thugs," The redhead continued as she leaned in so she could talk softer. "They are just friends. I'm good at making friends in here. Now, would you like to be my friend, or am I just waisting my time?"

While the woman confronting him insulted every sensibility the Legion had ever instilled in him, something about her cocky manner and self-assurance was a turn on. The confident way she sat there reminded Silus of Boyd, who he would have taken any opportunity to fuck until she was a bloody mess. Even though he could have probably forced himself on Boyd several times during the interrogation process there was something shameful seeming in taking advantage of someone so strong and independent. Most of the women Silus had been with were victims through and through, but these odd independent women of the profligate lands offered him a challenge he found irresistible.

So with little reservation Silus sat down on the bench next to the small woman, and with only a hint of annoyance in his voice said to her, "I'm listening."

The woman smirked as if she was pleased that her cheap intimidation tactics worked.

"You look like you're ex-military," the woman started. "So I think you're going to be exactly what I need. I can teach you all those things you humps had to learn on your own in the barracks. Like did you know you get two squares of soap for the week here? Now if you're a smart mother fucker you learn fast that you can use one to keep you and your clothes fairly clean and trade the other one to less efficient people. Now if you want something worth while you either gotta have people sending you money, otherwise you got soap to work with. Now someone like me, who knows all the ins and outs, I can make it to where you'll end up with all the soap your ass needs. Also I can help you with all the food and material comforts you could possibly dream of."

Silus responded with a short laugh. "If you think I'm going to be swayed by promises of cheap boorish toiletries you've picked the wrong man. I don't need your simpleton creature comforts, as I have spent most of my life with out them."

"Then what is it that you want?" The woman asked, her eyes wide with a coy kind of naivety.

Something about the question bothered Silus.

"I don't know," he admitted after a long pause.

"Well then Fish, maybe I can't help you," The woman said as she stood to leave.

"Wait," Silus pleaded, unsure why he was stopping this loose woman.

"What?" she said, obviously annoyed at him waisting her time further.

"I've spent my whole life serving someone," Silus admitted, "Perhaps it would be good for me to transition into a normal life with a boss... So long as what you have me do won't interfere with my entering the reeducation seminar in a week, I'm willing to cooperate."

"Good thing for you then Fish," The woman said with a wink, "Sounds like we're in the same reeducation class. I'm sure we'll have a wonderful time learning jack shit together."

Silus laughed at her words sarcastically. If the woman took this poorly she didn't show any sign of it. Instead she extended her right hand and spoke only one word, "Aubrey."

"Simon," Silus lied. The name Simon Lamonte was invented for him by the NCR to help cover up who he really was.

"Simon," Aubrey repeated. "Well Simon, give me your bunk number and we'll go check out where they stuck you. If you don't like it I'll pull some strings and get it changed. Better keep up while I walk, cause we've got a lot to teach you in a short period of time."

Nodding, Silus began walking behind the short woman, finding that he had to in fact slow his pace to keep up with her. For a second, as he watched her firm backside in the loose cotton prison uniform, Silus wondered what he'd gotten himself into. She was obviously a criminal and he didn't even know why she was here. Despite his concerns something about the spunky little red headed woman inspired confidence in Silus, and for the first time since he'd been captured by the NCR he felt strangely optimistic.


	2. Chapter 2

A small man with disproportionately muscular arms was waving his finger at Aubrey, occasionally making broad gestures at Silus as he talked. He wasn't happy. Silus felt ambivalent. After Aubrey had taken Silus to his bunk, secured a few items for him, and brought him some contraband food, he'd found himself following her around the yard while she excitedly talked about the people and places he needed to get to know. Then she'd gone into detail about what his job description was: hired goon. While Silus was used to giving orders, he was also used to taking them, so this role didn't bother him to much. He needed something to occupy his mind while he was here anyways; plus something about the smooth talking little woman amused him.

The next day Silus had followed Aubrey into the prison yard and watched as she negotiated trades, secured work for herself or Silus, and made general threats regarding owed favors or debts. Silus was the key to enforcing those threats. He'd stand their with his arms crossed, like they were now, glaring at whomever it was Aubrey had an issue with, and so far he'd avoided pummeling anyone. However, the small man with the oddly large arms concerned Silus. He seemed twitchy, like slaves the Legion took in who turned out to be addicted to some chem and prone to acting foolish.

Aubrey rolled her head around on her neck and looked up at Silus. "Can you believe this mother fucker," she said. "I go to the trouble of smuggling in enough Jet to keep his ass from having the shakes, and now he can't be bothered to pay me."

"Sounds like the typical kind of loser you'd expect to find in an NCR facility like this," Silus grumbled, almost forgetting himself and referring to them as profligates. He loosened his arms now, shaking out his muscles in anticipation of having to fight.

Something about the words SIlus had used caused Aubrey to shoot him a strange look, but she brushed it off fast and continued to confront the other prisoner. "So are you done waisting my time, or are you going to find a way to pay me for my troubles?"

"Yeah yeah," The man said, giving Silus a twitchy look. "Six hundred caps right?"

"Seven," Aubrey announced. "I'm adding a fee for being a pain in my ass."

The junkie stared down into the dirt then, obviously drawing all of his courage up into his body. Frustrated with Aubrey's unfairness he balled his fist and leapt forward at the small woman, yelling, "I'll show you seven hundred caps you bitch!"

Closing her eyes, Aubrey prepared to receive the brute force of the man's impact. Instead all she felt was a brush of air as Silus lept from beside her, his foot coming into contact with the center of the man's chest. Silus raised his arms up and brought his fists down on the man next, his muscles instantly remembering all of the times he'd had to beat a solider in this fashion for some minor inconvenience.

The violence freed something feral inside of Silus and that feral beast was filled with the rage and humiliation of having been thrown in this NCR prison. It was a festering anger that had glutted itself on Caesar's incompetence, the Legion's weaknesses made bare in the mind of the Centurion over and over until he just gave himself up. SIlus howled as he reduced the man's face and chest to a warm bloody paste. It wasn't until he heard Aubrey's voice telling him to stop that Silus was able to realize where he was and what he was doing. It was to late, the man was dead.

A blue jacket like the one Silus was already wearing was thrown over his shoulders, and Aubrey took him by the red knuckled hands that were still balled up in front of him.

"I paid the guards to look the other way," Aubrey whispered to him, "but we need to get out of here. Hopefully they'll finger some nutcase for that guy dying... You need to get yourself under control fella."

Inside on of the concrete bunkers that housed the showers Aubrey pealed the blue jacket of off Silus, revealing the spatter from the face of the man Silus had just beat to death. Aubrey reached behind Silus's large body and turned on the water spray and shoved him into it., Silus didn't complain, instead he just stood their watching her as blood trailed down his body into the drain, soaking his clothes in the process.

Regaining his composure instantly, Silus ran his finger through his shoulder length black hair to make sure no tissue had clung to the strands. He looked over at Aubrey who seemed to be watching him, amazed.

"I never realized before that you're mostly muscle under that uniform," Aubrey mused. "I don't think there is an ounce of fat on you."

"It's natural that a woman like you would be impressed by me," Silus responded before he could think. Then to cover up for his mistake, "You were right about me being a solider. I took my training very seriously."

"I can see that," Aubrey smiled. "I think you cured anyone here of trying to swing at me ever again. Good job, Simon."

"Simon," Silus mumbled to himself, looking up at the shower nozzle. Frustrated with how his clothing was sticking to his body in the wetness Silus pealed his shirt off and threw it into the next shower stall. He then looked over at Audrey and seemed to sneer, "Maybe you should fetch me some dry clothes before this starts to look suspicious. I think you'll get in trouble for being in here anyways, it says 'men's' shower outside."

As he spoke Silus was surprised to find Aubrey staring at him with a bit of color to her cheeks. Silus shuffled on his feet a second, he should have probably thought about this harder before he so boldly took off half of his clothing, but being a commanding officer wasn't something that easily wore off. Aubrey put her hand to her mouth for a second and turned.

"Yeah I'll get you some dry clothes in here a-sap," she muttered.

"I know my body is impressive woman," Silus chortled, trying to snap her out of her embarisment, "but please try to control yourself around me from this point on."

Aubrey nodded and fled the showers, and Silus took advantage of the situation to lose the lower half of his clothing. A few minutes later another prisoner came in for a shower. As he disrobed he revealed another layer clothes and a spare towel. The man folded the items and left them on the bench before he walked into his own stall to clean up. Silus grunted in acknowledgement and went over to put the new clothes on, groaning a little as he realized no one could smuggle him a dry pair of shoes.

* * *

><p>After procuring a dry uniform for Simon, Aubrey walked over to the south side of the prison and slammed her hand against the fence repeatedly. She knew the noise would draw attention to her, and luckly the person she wanted to talk to was on the other side of the fence.<p>

"Hey warden Daniels!" Aubrey called out.

"Do you need something Ms. Childes?" The warden asked, walking closer to the chain link fence.

"Yeah, I got some questions about your new boy," Aubrey said.

"Simon Lamonte?" The warden responded with a grin, "I'd heard you'd been associating with Mr. Lamonte. You always did have an eye for scum Aubrey. What about him?"

"What can you tell me about him?" Aubrey questioned.

"Legally?" Warden Daniels responded. "Nothing."

"What are you going to tell me out of a fondness for my childlike mischief?" Audrey flirted.

"Hah. Tell you what," The warden stepped closer to the fence, "I'll fill you in on what I remember from his file. Simon Lamonte, mid-thirties. Ex-Solider, Captain I think. Transferred from Camp McCarran. Seems like he was dishonorably discharged for something or another. I think he pushed some of his men to hard. Whatever. That area's a mess, and so they took away his pension and kicked him here."

"Why are they sending a solider through reeducation training?" Aubrey inquired.

"Between you and me kid?" The warden said as he made sure his guards were far enough away not to over hear his conversation. "McCarran just fished out a Legion spy. Now I know that spy ain't Simon Lamonte, but I have a funny feeling he might be affiliated. Like maybe he knew and didn't say anything, or was just close enough to make his CO uncomfortable."

"Nah, he's a weirdo, but I don't think he's a Legion spy," Aubrey said. "He isn't the sneaky type, to direct. You should hear the string of shit that man can cuss up when he thinks no one is listening."

"Say Aubrey," The warden asked, rubbing his head with a kerchief to absorb the sweat forming on the balding scalp. "You wouldn't know anything about the dead man we just had to pull out of the yard?"

"Nah, no idea," Aubrey lied, "Probably some punk who owed a debt to someone and finally got his what for."

"I doubt their will be much of an inquiry," The warden said. "He was in here for life, but you knew that didn't you?"

"I don't know nothing about anything," Aubrey dodged, looking away from the warden like a guilty child.

"Be careful Aubrey," The warden said as he returned to his associates, "I don't want you back in here after you get out."

Aubrey had no response to this, so she nodded her head, jammed her hands in her pockets, and walked away from the fence. She closed her eyes for a second and the image of Simon with his shirt off, his back and torso covered with scars of varying lengths an thickness, came back to her.

Sure, Simon's body looked like a well tooled instrument, but there was something about the way it had been abused that made the warden's story seem a little fishy. Still, the way the water had caused his pants to cling around his sizable package was nice, but she couldn't afford to think about that. He was a handsome man, the kind that made you feel safe standing next to him, if only because he was a big mother fucker. Aubrey liked it, but she also did not want to distract herself from taking care of business, especially with her release date so close on the horizon.

"Hell, ain't no one her who doesn't have a reason to be here," Aubrey mused to herself as she walked back towards the center of the yard where she knew she'd meet Simon eventually. As she stood there under the desert sun she looked around the dirty circular area marked for prison recreation. Most days, after time spent in hard labor, the prisoners were allowed to idle here until evening when they would be expected to eat dinner and go to bed. This was where all of the seedy goings on of prison life occurred, and Aubrey had her niche in this little society. It had been a hard fought position, and it made Aubrey nervous to think about going back out into the real world where she didn't have any connections.

As she pondered this a dark shadow fell across her own, and she turned to see Simon towering over her, his hair still wet. She smiled at him for a second, shielding her eyes from the setting sun, and reached forward expectantly.

"Lets see how bad you fucked up your hand," She softly ordered.

Simon's face changed when she asked about his wounds, a mixture of anger and confusion.

"I just want to make sure you're okay," Aubrey assured.

Slowly Simon extended his hands, palm down, hiding the abrasions. Aubrey, took his large muscular hand in hers and turned it over, revealing the red from punching the inmate repeatedly. Her soft fingers caressed his knuckles, and she swallowed a little as she realized how callused his hands were. The thickened skin was probably the only reason his hands weren't putty. She traced a finger slowly along the underside of Simon's hand, the gentle tickling gesture causing him to stir for a moment and rip his hands from hers.

"Don't do that," He growled with a threatening tone that made the hairs on the back of Aubrey's neck stand up.

"I think you'll live," she said, dismissive of his threatening tone.

"No one said that I wouldn't," Simon responded, still defensive.

"Chill out man," Aubrey yawned, "I just wanted to make sure my number one thug was going to be able to use his hands again if I got in a pinch. Those are some hands you have there Simon. I bet you could make a girl crazy with those hands."

Something glowed in Simon's eye for a second, making him seem more snake like than he normally was. Normally those yellow eyes always seemed to buzz with a dangerous inelegance missing from most people, and the way he was looking at Aubrey, the way he was obviously holding himself back from lunging on top of her, made something inside of Aubrey burn. Simon was a dangerous man, the warden was right to warn her to be careful, and she felt herself drawn to that part of him even though she knew it might lead to her own distruction. When Aubrey looked into Simon's eyes she felt like she was trapped somehow, between the devil and the deep blue sea.


	3. Chapter 3

Every morning a bell went off signaling that it was time for the prisoners to wake up. Silus stretched his long frame across his bunk, his feet hanging over the edge considerably. To say sleeping here was uncomfortable was an understatement. He looked at the wooden underside of his bunk for several seconds, crudely hammered nails betraying the haste witch which this prison was erected. Graffiti was carved into the wood. Names, dates, curse words, all stared back at Silus, promising special glimpses into long forgotten lives. He ran his finger along the grove of one of the deeper cut names, and enjoyed the rough contrast of the wood. This is how he went to sleep that night, rubbing the same spot while he thought. He grumbled and turned suddenly, looking out of the bunk as the prisoners put on clothes and started to move towards their allotted work areas. It was best to be out of the bunk area before the guards came and wrangled the stragglers.

Once Silus was certain no one would attack him he had the same thought he had every morning since his capture: "Well, I haven't been assonated yet."

It was coming. No matter how hard the NCR tried to hide him, Silus was a marked man, and he knew eventually a Frumentarri would figure out who he was. There were hundreds of spys in the NCR, all various ranks and positions, not even Caesar knew all of them by sight. At night Silus wondered how they'd do it. Pick a fight in the yard? Shoot him on the day he left? Slit his throat in his sleep? It didn't matter, one day he'd die at the hands of one of Caesar's loyal men, and his only hope was that he could see the land the NCR had promised him before it happened.

Pulling his shirt over his head, Silus shuffled out the door as the second bell rang. He reached the barrack's Aubrey occupied with enough time to lean against the wall and relax before the third bell rang and the last of the women erupted from the doors. Aubrey was in the first group, talking excitedly with several other females. She only acknowledged Silus's waiting by a side glance and a wave of her hand informing him it was time to follow her. He rolled his eyes and complained under his breath. Silus knew what to do. He'd known to wait for her then follow on the first day, and it had fallen into a routine rather fast.

Having received their allotted amount of breakfast from the line, Aubrey and Silus sat together at a table alone and began to stir their food looking for ugly surprises or notes. This morning Aubrey stirred up a rolled piece of paper, pealed it open, quickly read the insides, and then passed the paper to Frank who was sitting behind them. Today was the day Aubrey and Silus both started reeducation training and that meant they both had a month left in the slammer. Because of the shortness of their time, Aubrey had been turning some of her business over to Frank, who would be in jail for at least fifteen years.

As the piece of paper slipped from Aubrey's palm to Frank's, Silus turned his head to make sure no one was watching, and upon returning his attention to his breakfast Silus locked eyes with Frank only for a moment. It was always the same thing when Silus looked at Frank, he saw a threat. Frank was obviously an usurper who had taken Aubrey's offer to absorb more of her business because it was slightly more convenient then having to beat her to death himself. In the few seconds their eyes met Silus felt the same dare he always did on the few occasions Aubrey had talked to Frank around him. It was a challenge, and Silus was just smart enough not to try to meet it.

What Silus wanted more than anything was out of this place and as far from New Vegas, Arizona, Caesar, and Hoover Dam as he could possibly get. Fighting Frank was a threat to that, plus Silus knew he would win. These inmates might be fierce, some of them might even be murderers or ex military, but none of them had ever had to fight for his life the way Silus had to in the ranks of Legion.

After breakfast the members of the reeducation seminar were isolated from the men going to work hard labor and directed towards a newer looking metal building. Inside were several scavenged chairs and tables, none of them matching, all of them looking like they had seen better days. Aubrey and Silus moved to the back of the room, selecting a long thin conference table with a chipped white top to sit at, the rest of the room settling away from them before the last inside were force in closer to the two.

Watching the people avoid Aubrey and himself cause Silius to remark, "What are you going to do, Aubrey, when you're no longer the queen of the kingdom?"

Instantly Silus regretted his cold worlds, as Aubrey turned to look at him with a mixture of shock and hurt. She quickly masked this, however; and a cruelty settled into her eyes that seemed more fitting for her role as black market princess. Silus was grateful to be distracted by someone handing out packets of paper with well illustrated interiors.

Silus focused on the cover of the packet, assuming the presence of pictures were for the uneducated profligates all around him. He sneered a little and elbowed Aubrey, hoping to make up for putting his foot in his mouth by making her feel superior. "Look at the pictures in this book, I bet it's because half of the people in this room can't read."

"I can't read very well," Aubrey responded immediately, turning her head so she didn't have to look him in the eye. "Anyways I bet even fewer people than that can read in this room. It's not like schooling's important out in the wastes."

The redhead adjusted herself so that she locked eyes with Silus, giving him time to continue being a dip shit if that's what he was going to do. When he didn't say anything she looked at him with a gaze that would make Legate Lanius jealous, and said, "How did a scarred up mother fucker like you learn to read anyways? Those raider parents of your have more class than most?"

"My parents weren't raiders," Silus mumbled.

"Then what were your parents?" Aubrey asked with a cocky tone.

This caught Silus with no easy explanation. "I guess I don't know the answer to that."

"Mommy drop you at an NCR orphanage so she could keep doing jet and fucking whoever could pay," Aubrey responded coldly, her revenge for Silus's thoughtless words making her seem petty.

"No," Silus responded, "She was killed when I was about four or five. So was my father. So was my entire family and everyone in my…community." He congratulated himself on not saying tribe.

"Oh?" Aubrey said, "You make it sound mysterious, Simon. Let me guess, you really are a Legion spy."

The words Aubrey spoke were like a slap in Silus's face, but only because of how close to the truth she was. He looked inward for a moment, searching for the best way to respond to Aubrey's prompting, and that's when the side of Silus that had been taught his whole life that women were inferior took over and spoke for him.

"If I was a Legion spy," Silus said as he leaned in and spoke softly, "I promise you that as soon as I was released from jail, I'd see to it that you'd have a collar around my neck so you'd learn your true place, my darling slut."

As Silus spoke Aubrey leaned her head back a little bit like she couldn't believe what he was saying, and as soon as he was done talking she began laughing. The room turned and looked at the two in the back corner, leaving Silus to stare forward as in a rage. If he was the man he was just a month ago he'd have grabbed her by the hair, thrown her to the floor, beat her, then fucked her until she knew better than to ever laugh at him again. The armed guards by the door made Silus still his hand, and as he finally turned to face Aubrey –who was still snickering- she seemed to sense something dangerous in his eyes and sober up.

The look in her eyes made him feel bad again. He didn't want her to fear him, and he didn't understand why. To try to make amends he lifted his hand and patted her on the back a few times. He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, the yellows of his iris meeting the dark green of hers, and he noticed she was smiling. He smiled back, and felt strangely at ease with the fact she seemed to forgive his brutish nature to the point of seeming ignorant of it. Aubrey wasn't your average woman. She was keener and more confident than most of the ones he'd met in this prison, but without seeming boorish or naive. It made him want to protect her all the more.

A small man in a lab coat stood at the front of the room. He raised his arms and welcomed everyone to the reeducation seminar. His high pitched voice directed them to open to page one of the packet they had been handed, and the room responded with the sound of a paper crumpling.

"Today we will begin with the history of the New California Republic," The teacher announced, "So that all of you will understand that you are part of a proud history dating back till just after the bombs fell."


	4. Chapter 4

_Thanks again to guts-for-garters, for commenting. I think I've told you this before, but awesome screen name. _

_I didn't think anyone was paying attention to this fic, so I was ignoring it. Now that I know someone is reading I'll finish it. _

_I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

><p>It was a week until Audrey and Silus would be set free. That was assuming neither of them fucked up in a way that added years to their sentences. In order to avoid getting caught passing contraband by some of the guards who didn't like her, Aubrey had continued to pass more and more of her business to Frank. Having a much longer sentence and less to lose, Frank was a sensible inheritor to Aubrey's domain, but Silus was still unnerved by the greed he saw in Frank's eyes. He knew the look from working with new recruits for the Legion. Younger, stronger men who were hungry for power and would take foolish risks for it. They were the ones who challenged Praetorians for their positions and all too often got blown up trying to dash into known minefields.<p>

Still, life in the Legion was behind Silus now. He tried to focus on keeping himself and Aubrey safe until the day the would both walk out of this prison free. Emerging from the hot tin box that was the NCR reeducation classroom, the sweat covered couple walked towards the cool shade next to the shower barracks to take up their usual positions. As the couple moved through the dusty courtyard Silus noticed Frank walking towards Aubrey and himself. Two large men were walking with Frank. Silus could feel Aubrey's lips part in a smile, she trusted Frank despite his warnings as she felt Frank wouldn't be foolish enough to move for early control of the courtyard this close to her release.

The look on Frank's face told Silus that Aubrey was wrong. Now it was a waiting game. Frank would have to do something for Silus to react or he'd risk alienating Aubrey. Counting himself lucky that guns weren't going to be an issue in the yard, Silus did take notice of the goons who had their hands stiffly in their pockets. They couldn't have made it more obvious they were carrying. Still Silus had to be careful; he knew the man on Frank's right was in for theft, so he wouldn't be too much of a challenge. The other man was the wild card. He could be in for anything. Capable of anything.

"Miss me boys," Aubrey said, stopping short of the small mob.

Frank looked at her with surprise, and Silus felt himself coil and ready to pounce. Before Silus could do much else Frank nodded to his men. "Now," he ordered.

Both goons produced shanks made from tooth brushes and tape. The makeshift knives were then driven forward towards Aubrey's middle section, the sharp but jagged surface promising to rip and make a horrible mess of any soft tissue it came across. The thief's shank managed to drive a deep gash into Aubrey's side as Silus put his hands on both of her shoulders and swung her away from the attackers.

Silus then turned and used his forearm and leg to break the arm of one of the goons. The man screamed out in pain, and whistles began to blow in the guard stations, alerting the yard to danger. Silus drove his elbow into the man's nose, causing a torrent of blood to break free and shower down on both of them as the order to "Get down" was called.

Laying down in the dirt Frank smiled up at Silus, knowing that if Silus was foolish enough to attack a prone man he might very well be shot by the guards.

"On the ground," A guard yelled from next to Silus, his gun pointed and ready. Silus rolled his eyes and complied. He was aware, in that moment, how carelessly the guard was as he held the gun. Too long these men who ruled over the prison had gone unchecked in their strength. If he wanted to Silus could disarm this man, beat him to death with his own gun, and take out enough guards to possibly make a clean break. His brain thought better of it quickly, and he realized running would cost him more than waiting ever would.

Metal handcuff's closed around Silus's wrists and he turned and looked towards where Aubrey had run off. One of the guards was helping the red headed woman up, while she held her shoulder in pain. Obviously the other prisoner had gotten a good jab in. He scanned the yard for sign of the man who had stabbed her, and then realized he could see a dark glistening around the head of a man who was laying near Aubrey. He hadn't noticed the sniper shot in his struggles, but it was obvious now that Aubrey's other attacker was dead.

* * *

><p>"Simon, I would hate to have you here longer than need be," were the wardens words of warning. Then he reached over and back patted the large Silus sitting in an awkwardly small chair. Silus flinched. He didn't intend to, he told himself he'd show no fear, but he jumped defensively when the warden tried to touch him. Apologies only got you killed in the Legion, so Silus had been careful to be respectful but not apologetic. The situation made the warden chuckle as he walked off, enjoying the power of the moment just a little bit. It wasn't every day a brute grimaced when he was touched.<p>

It was at that moment Silus realized every muscle in his body was tight. He allowed himself to draw in a deep breath, letting the air he was holding out his nose slowly. He had to remind himself that Legion found the rest of the world soft for a reason. He should have been punished for disobeying orders. Whipped, beaten, broken. Instead the NCRCF had simply warned him away from future fights and praised him for defending a 'helpless' female.

This made Silus wonder if Aubrey really was helpless. Sure she needed a body guard, but she had managed to land herself in a position of power on the yard without one. You didn't become a king of the prison without being able to fight. Still she'd been slashed and stabbed by the man attacking her with little resistance. Though if she hadn't been seriously hurt Silus would probably have to spend more time in this shit hole.

Dark halls lined the way to the yard, where the sun had already set. A guard followed Silus back to the barracks and lingered in the doorway listening for trouble. Frank and the living man who had attacked Silus had been put in solitary confinement until after Silus was due for release. The news had made Silus relax a little bit, but the idea that Aubrey was wounded troubled him. He hadn't gotten word about what had happened to Aubrey. He assumed that if she had died someone would have spoken about it, but who knew in a prison.

Sleep flicked on the edges of Silus's mind, but he kept seeing Aubrey in the sun with blood running down her shirt. She looked frightened and that bothered him. She was always sure and cocky, it was why he liked following her around. It was familiar to him to have a charismatic person calling the shots in his life, and the idea that she could disappear so easily was upsetting. What was worse was that it made him mad that he could be so easily shaken. Aubrey was just a woman and Silus couldn't afford to be weak.

Rolling over on his cot Silus wondered what Aubrey would do when they were released. For his own safety he should probably move onto his land without her, but he didn't want to. If he had his druthers he wouldn't even be away from her right now. Even if she was languishing in a medical ward, hooked up to the strange machines the people of the west seemed to have, he would stand beside her. Still this was another sign of weakness, wanting to take care of something softer than you. She was an Achilles heal and Silus wasn't used to being vulnerable.

Still there she was, fading in and out of his tired brain like sunlight through bird wings.

* * *

><p>The medical ward was silent. There were no other patients so Aubrey was in isolation from anyone else. At this point she was so used to the sounds of other people snoring and shifting in their sleep, the quite made sleeping here unbearable. It was an oppressive absence of sound that settled on her chest and made her wish she could run away from it. Just a few feet outside was open sky, people, life, but this room was made to hold the living until they died or got better. Funny that the sound of nothing reminded her of death.<p>

When morning came Aubrey had not slept well, but she had enough energy to seem strong. She had been stitched up and given bandages to replace what was on her arm and stomach. She felt half tempted to trade them for goods in the yard, but thought better of it seeing how she was getting out soon. The first thing she did in the light of the early morning, after the second wake up bell rang, was to look for Simon.

He emerged from the men's barracks looking like he'd not gotten any more sleep than she had. It was good to see him alive and mostly free. His eyes lit up for a second when he saw her and then his face went back to the grumpy mask of stoicism that always hid his emotions. Part of her wanted to run up and hug him, feel his hard muscles shift under his thin uniform. He made her feel like no one could touch her, even if several jagged lines across her body said otherwise. Though in all honestly she'd let the man hurt her. Sure, the shoulder wound was a surprise, but the bloodied belly was enough to argue that Simon was defending her from an attacker. It had worked and here they were, together again.

Simon nodded as she walked next to him and headed towards the metal building where classes were held. Unlike most mornings he turned his head to look at her and she caught his eye. His response to her look was to turn his head and act like he was uninterested. The coolness he showed around her was another puzzle piece in the mystery of Simon. The other women in the NCRCF were jealous she had taken the new man so quickly, but changed their minds once they realized how aloof he was. Aloof, sarcastic, and often times cruel. Still the side long glance had had just given Aubrey didn't speak to sarcasm or cruelty. He seemed to worry about her, yet he never seemed to worry about anything. It was frustrating, so she took her normal stance and refused to think about it.

"Did he hurt you bad?" Simon finally asked as they sat at their usual table.

Quick eyes studied Simon enough to let Aubrey know that he was sincerely asking, and the attention made her stomach squirm in a funny way. "No, thanks to you. Though I have to admit I knew they were going to attack, just not with shivs. I wanted to make sure I took a blow so the guards maybe wouldn't lock you up. Looks like it was worth the gamble. Good job not killing that guy."

"He had no hand to hand skill," a cocky chortle escaped Simons lips as he spoke. "A well trained child could have disarmed that man and sent him running."

"I think you underestimate yourself," Aubrey commented. "I've met a lot of NCR grunts in my day, and none of them had moves like that. Either you were special ops, and aren't telling me for some reason, or you'll full of shit about being in the NCR."

Exactly as Aubrey expected, Simon shifted in his chair uncomfortably. He wouldn't say anything; he never did when she talked about the past. It bothered Aubrey more than she wanted to say, but a lot of people in jail didn't want to talk about what happened to them before. Though few were as tight lipped as Simon.

The teacher entered the room and started to prepare his lesson. Another day learning about how they could be good productive citizens. It occurred to Aubrey that she hadn't really told Simon how much she appreciated him. Before the class started she leaned over and settled her freckled hand on top of his lightly tanned skin and whispered into Simons ear, "Thank you. I owe you so much. Someday I hope to make it up to you."

His hand engulfed hers then, pressing her fingers together harder than Aubrey would have liked. Simon turned, his yellow eyes seeming to glow with a flame fiercer than any fire. He watched her for several seconds, devouring her body and soul with the look on his face. The man was frightening and she was forced to yet again encounter him. If she was smart she'd run away from him, but instead she found herself sucked in like a moth to a flame.

"If you knew anything about me," A horse threatening whisper escaped Silus's lips, "You'd never put your hand on mine so casually. You're right, I wasn't an NCR goon, I was something much worse. Much more deadly. I used to break little girls like you as a hobby. The more head-strong the better. I want to atone for that time, however; start a new life so far from my old one that I can just forget who I used to be. I want you to think about that the next few days, because if I can't make peace with the gods, then everyone around me might suffer."

When Simon freed her hand Aubrey exhaled, not realizing she was holding her breath the entire time he spoke. The teacher eyed them but began his lecture despite their talking. They were quite now, that's what mattered. A shot of pain hit Aubrey in her shoulder from tensing up her body, and she leaned forward slightly with her hand over her wound. Simon bend his body to make sure she was alright, and she realized his pity was the last thing she wanted right now.

Looking up from his projection ,the lecturer opened his mouth to ask Aubrey if she was alright. The guards had informed him that one of his students was hurt in a prison fight, and he had been on the lookout for someone in pain. People who were in such situations were often ready for the kind of teaching he had to do. Before he could say anything a new guard entered the room and boldly walked to the front of the class. The teacher nodded and took a piece of paper from the man, adjusting his thick glasses as he read the note.

A low murmuring went through the room as Aubrey recovered. The pain still throbbed but it wasn't as pointed and harsh. Small words now floated across the room to her ears. "Hoover Dam," "war," and "battle" were heard as part of a thick soup of speech spinning all around her. It was easy to forget the NCR was at war inside of the prison.

"Ladies and gentlemen," The teacher spoke up over the voices all around him. It took a second, "Ladies and gentlemen," before anyone shut up.

The small ginger haired man adjusted the bow tie on his ridiculous white lab coat and began to speak. "I have an announcement to make about the war. It seems that earlier this morning General Oliver, and that Courier Six everyone is hearing about on the radio, lead the fine soldiers of the New California Republic to victory over the Legion. It seems the Courier gained the assistance of not only the Boomers, but also our former enemies the Brotherhood of Steal, and managed to turn the Great Khans in our favor. These combined forces fended off an attempt by the Legion to take the Dam using a water tunnel. A small group lead Courier Six took the camp of Legate Lanius. It seems the Legate was killed by Courier Six in front of his tent and rumors persist that Caesar has also fallen in battle. It will only be a matter of time till the other higher ups in the Legion are caught and executed with more mercy than they showed Nipton."

A cheer sounded from the guards and several of the inmates. Exuberant conversations spread across the room, lighting up the faces all but the most dower of criminals. Everyone had been affected by the war one way or another. Aubrey was beaming, she had no personal stakes in the war, but it was good to know the fighting was over for the most part. She turned to Simon to share her enthusiasm only to find him pale faced and frightened in his chair.

"Are you okay?" She asked, forgetting his earlier warning and putting her hand on Simon's shoulder. He seemed not to notice or hear her, so she shook him and asked him once again if he was feeling alright.

"Class!" the teacher yelled over the inmates, "You may have the afternoon off, with no effect on your graduation date, provided you fill out your worksheets in your free time."

This elicited another cheer from the prisoners who immediately began to file out of the building, leaving only Simon and Aubrey behind. Simon seemed stuck in place. It was like the good news had shook him in a way the others around him couldn't comprehend. Aubrey shook him harder this time, and he seemed to snap out of it and turn to recognize her.

"We should go out to the yard now," she said.

Simon nodded and rose to follow her. Aubrey made her way slowly towards an unoccupied bench near one of the fences. Most people didn't like to sit here because guards could overhear their conversations easily, but something about Simon told Aubrey that he wasn't going to be talking for awhile. He was leaning forward in his seat flexing his hands together as if he was preparing for a fight. Unsure what else she could do Aubrey sat next to her friend and waited for him to say something. The whole time she tried not to focus on how odd his behavior was. Maybe he had someone he loved fighting and was scared they were dead, or maybe he was hoping he'd get to punch Caesar to death himself.

* * *

><p>Caesar is dead. So is Lanius. Silus assumed, Lucius, Vulpes, Anthony, Marcus, Red Claw, Travis, Julian, Cato, and a hundred others he had fought beside now gone too. It wasn't that the great and terrible Caesar had huffed and puffed himself out of existence that shocked Silus. The most upsetting part of this news was that Silus probably wouldn't be murdered one night by a Frumentarii.<p>

After all no Frumentarii was going to follow the orders of a dead dictator and risk blowing their cover now. Getting caught would mean that they were sacrificing the only life they had left and everyone in that branch of service was too shrewd to take such a risk. He was certain that if Vulpes managed to survive the man would put on an NCR uniform, march west, and start a new life as whomever he'd killed. That is if the bombastic jerk wasn't fighting for control of what was left of the Legion. He wouldn't put either past the head of the Frumentarii.

It was amazing to be alive while the only life you had ever known decays. To be given a new chance at life that the NCR had not been able to promise when he struck a deal with them. Silus just hoped that he was still valuable enough for them to honor their half of the bargain. Even if they didn't, he was alive. Alive, and soon to be a free man. No one was going to kill him, and that tasted sweater than any victory he won for Caesar ever did. Part of him celebrated that the harsh life he had would soon be wiped from the face of the earth. Another man made mistake in a long line of foolishness.

The sun was burning his neck and Silus felt happy about it rather than annoyed. The sun was odd, seeing how he was pretty sure he was in the classroom with Aubrey. Silus had a vague memory of walking out of the classroom with her. It wasn't like him to be dazed and he was still to hypnotized to punish himself for being lead around by a woman.

"We have the day off," he muttered, looking into her large green eyes. She smiled at him. It was a simple pure smile. Genuine happiness. He had never seen anyone smile like this while he was with Legion, and it made him feel glad whenever he saw it on Aubrey's face.

"We just have to do some homework," Aubrey assured Silus with a sigh of relief. "I thought you'd checked out for good. Glad to see you came back to me in the end. I'm starting to think it's a trend."

"I can't believe he's dead," Silus confessed, no longer looking into Aubrey's eyes.

He felt her arms around him. Had she been hugging him long? It was nice to have her press so close to him, but he wasn't in a place to feel anything else about it.

"Who can't you believe is dead?" Aubrey asked.

Silus's hush voice spoke the name "Caesar," only with a hard K instead of a soft S. Fortunately for him he spoke to softly for her to understand him. Aubrey asked him to repeat what he said, and he corrected his error. "Caesar," he repeated, with the correct, incorrect, pronunciation.

"Are you afraid for the people you knew in the war?" Aubrey was obviously trying to be sympathetic. It bruised his ego, but he was so tired from the shock of it all that he just took it.

Silus looked up at the sky, "I guess so. I don't think they will do well after this. They only know one way of life and that's going to go away now. I hope they can adjust."

"Maybe they need reeducation classes from Professor Dickweed," Aubrey laughed at her own joke.

Despite himself Silus let out a snicker. "I think most of them would grow bored with Professor Dickweed and feed him that red light he uses to point out things with."

Laughing again Aubrey squeezed his arm in a familiar way. Silus smiled at her, but his look was weary. She seemed to see the smile but not the pain, and that she could be so selective bought him more comfort. They sat like that into the night. Aubrey going out of her way to make light hearted jokes and Silus smiling at them. He had no idea what else to do with himself now, a statement he repeated to Aubrey as dusk started to settle in.

Aubrey puffed up her chest and answered like a proud bird singing over his nest. "Well I'd start by going to my bunk to finish my homework so that you don't get in trouble. Then tomorrow I'd get up, take a shower, put my clothes on, and start living my fucking life."

A man ten years older than Silus looked at Aubrey through Silus's eyes. She tugged at his shirt a little, and motioned for him to start heading towards the bunks. Before they left he lowered himself like he was going to speak into her ear. Aubrey didn't move, she stood there, arms crossed, waiting for him to say whatever it was he was going to say. She didn't expect it when he swept her up in one big arm and pressed her small body to his chest. Another strong arm wrapped around Aubrey, and she felt his nose in her hair, inhaling, exhaling. Then as swiftly as he touched her, Silus released Aubrey and walked towards the men's' barracks alone.

Before she was out of earshot Aubrey thought she heard Silus mumble, "Maybe you can teach me how."


	5. Chapter 5

_There are 7 chapters to this. They are all very long. My apologies. I hope you enjoy, and please review!_

* * *

><p>The ever nagging sun made Silus feel like his skin was slowly turning to leather. The hard rubbery quality of his hands made him wish the processing part of his release would just be over. He had been waiting in this chain-link fence lined section of the prison for what felt like hours, but was probably only about thirty minutes. Soon he'd be a free man on the path to his new life as a farmer, and he couldn't start walking soon enough.<p>

* * *

><p>Yesterday the NCR had made a big show out of giving out diplomas' to the prisoners who graduated from their education program. Ironic, seeing how more than half of the graduates couldn't read them. Everyone from the training class was hurried into a big circle where a cheap fruit punch was served along with some sweet layered bread that Silus enjoyed. Still it felt like a farce.<p>

Standing in-between the guards and Aubrey, Silus had to pointedly remind himself of why he left his old home. Caesar was a tyrant with a short sighted vision that would eventually leave his men in trouble. This tyrant was ill himself, everyone knew it, but no one spoke of it. The powerful presence of Caesar dimming just that little bit had already thrown some of his control into question. Even if Caesar hadn't lost the war, his men were going to find themselves in tatters as soon as he died.

Silus knew there was no future in the Legion. Sure he could fight and continue to father progeny until he died, but what was the point? He owned nothing, had nothing to look forward to, and his death would just be that of another commander. No matter how great the military conquest, he was little better than the women and me he helped subject. It was this fruitless labor that made Silus rethink his commitment to Legion.

It was during the height of that doubt a squad of NCR Rangers rushed his men and he instantly knew they were going to win. The group he was directing was mostly green and they were terribly outnumbered. Sadly his instincts proved correct and one by one he watched as boys were slaughtered in the name of their uncaring Demi-God. The bodies of four NCR privates were at his feet when he realized he was surrounded, and that the remains of his squad had committed suicide to avoid capture. It was as if his mind had been covered with clouds, keeping him from plunging his own knife into his chest.

He remembered a female Ranger with bright blue eyes had stepped forward and put her hand on his knife. He looked at her like she was some kind of phantom come to pester him. They had an understanding then, and he allowed her to take the knife and his gun. She stood back with her prizes, thrilled that she had so hypnotized a Centurion. It was like she knew how trapped and doomed he felt by the life he had chosen and was going to fix it somehow.

This was the first time he'd thought of that woman since he was handcuffed and taken to camp McCarran. Once imprisoned he was distracted by that infuriating Boyd woman and nothing was as important as staying alive. If the blue eyed woman was his angle of mercy than Boyd was a tormenter sent from the hereafter to make him pay for his sins. Then the courier came, a deal was struck, and he was sent to prison where he met Aubrey.

Aubrey was the best of the blue eyed woman and Boyd combined. Constantly a mystery to Silus, Aubrey proved more satisfying to spend time with than any slave Legion could have fetched him. After all a slave could never give a man of his stature purpose, at best they could sate desire, but that was nothing. His hand could sate his desire. Yet his hand couldn't provide companionship and it couldn't reach out and change his life without him understanding why.

* * *

><p>Yellow lights which kept bugs away had been turned on in the paddock during the party, sending funky shadows across the buildings. Aubrey was brilliant in this moment, yet she moved and talked as if she had no idea how beautiful she was. He caught himself thinking about her and let it mellow around him for a moment. Tomorrow she may very well kick sand at him as she walked in the other direction, so right now why not savor? After all if she did follow him she might find out who he really was and that would probably ruin the kind place she had come to take in his heart.<p>

Waves of rust colored hair parted as Aubrey turned in a circle for some reason he did not understand, having drowned out conversation some time ago. She pressed her lips together in and odd sort of smile and moved towards him. Shrinking with her every step Silus felt completely disarmed. She reached out, with her freckle covered fingers, causing Silus to lift his hand limply as if he wasn't sure how to use it. Soft fingers wrapped around his callused palm and drowned any distance between the two of them.

On her tip toes Aubrey placed her lips just a centimeter from his ear, "So what's the plan for tomorrow, Simon?"

For a brief moment he wanted to punch the lights out of Simon, and then he remembered.

"I don't know," was the best he could muster.

"You have to have a plan," she coaxed. Did she want something?

"I have a farm in Oregon," He blurted out despite himself, "I was going to follow a caravan to it."

"Oregon is beautiful." Why was she saying this? Did she know she was beautiful?

"I guess so," colder than he would have liked.

"I'll see you in the morning." She smiled as she walked away, looking over her shoulder. Leaving him searching for a time a woman had ever looked at him like that. It would be so much easier if she'd just tell him what she wanted so he could give it to her. Out of place, that was the feeling that Silus was left with as he stood in the yellow light. He was made in a hard world where your every breath could kill you, and now he lived amongst people who lived their lives accidently.

For the first time the idea of existing in a land of strangers occurred to Silus. This feeling followed him into the morning when a guard woke him, waited while he collected his things, and took him to the holding cell for processing. Everyone inside of the pen was nervous. They were given cheap clothes to wear and pushed through the gate, out into the open sky.

* * *

><p>Names were called at this point and men shuffled off to meet with work details or caravans. Enough people were being let out that the noise caused you to pay daft attention to what was going on.<p>

"Lamonte, Simon Lamonte," A tall woman called out from next to a caravan. Silus raised his hand and walked towards her.

"I'm Beth the head guard of this caravan," the woman said as she shoved a pack into his arms. "You're a big son of a bitch aren't you? Good, might help keep geckos off us. Don't ask. Don't know what's in the pack. Some Bitch named Boyd met up with me and told me to make sure you got it."

The woman's fast-nasally tone had a hypnotizing effect, so it took Silus a few seconds to process what she had said enough to be surprised. Still he asked for clarification, "Boyd?"

"I'm sure you know who she is," the woman responded, "She's unpleasant enough."

Unimpressed with Silus's state of dumbfoundedness the woman returned to business by gesturing at something behind him. "She with you?"

Wind kicked up around Aubrey as she looked up at Silus. The simple street clothes she was wearing almost made her look like a new person. Meek in demeanor she lifted the corners of her mouth and looked at him with eyes that spoke to the fact she wanted something but was afraid to ask.

Tired of the silence between them already, Beth waved her hand and said, "It costs fifteen caps to follow the caravan if the NCR ain't paid for you."

"What do you want?" Silus spat at Aubrey, the commanding officer inside of him coming to the front when the rest of him remained shaken.

Flinching at his harsh words Aubrey stepped back for a second and seemed to second guess her decision. "Say goodbye I guess. Suppose you're going to that farm of yours…"

"That was the plan," Silus said as he shot a look over his shoulder at the rest of the caravan. They seemed eager to leave.

"Alone?" she asked, her eyes blinking in the sun.

"I don't know anyone who'd want to go with me," He said with a more sarcastic tone than he would have liked.

"You know, you're an idiot Simon," Aubrey cursed as she turned and walked off.

Without thinking his hand went out and landed on Aubrey's shoulder. She started at the contact so he pulled his hand back slowly.

"Do you have fifteen caps," he blurted out, as it was the only thing he could think to ask that would put the situation right.

"Nah, I got three days ration and some water skins," she answered, looked at him with a glow of assurance returning to her. "You're the one who got the bonus pack."

Leather shifting in his arms Silus managed to open the small closure with his large fingers. The first thing he noticed was as scarlet cloth with something wrapped in it. He knew what the cloth was the cape from his Centurion uniform. Why Boyd had saved it for him was beyond his comprehension, and he prayed nothing more telling of his past was inside. Slipping his hand deeper inside of the pack, his fingers wrapped around something cold and hard.

Pulling the gun out Aubrey winced at Silus as if he might shoot her, but didn't move away. Surprised as well Silus shook his head and tucked the gun into his belt, he'd check if it was loaded later. Knowing Boyd it probably was. He pushed the red cloth aside and shook the bag the way he watched slaves shake out the insides of heavy satchels they would carry. A clunky jingle sounded from within, and he used the noise to locate a thick handful of caps.

"That looks like a lot more than fifteen," Aubrey squeaked, she was happy now and it pleased Silus.

Without thinking he pushed the money towards the caravan guard, who careened her neck curiously. "Toss in five more and we'll feed your girl for the trip. Two more and I'll toss in a buck knife so she's safer."

"Seven more," Silus repeated and Beth nodded in confirmation. The tall woman reached in the side satchel of a Brahmin as he counted out the extra money.

"I'll pay you back," Aubrey assured him, her hands pressed together like a girl who had just gotten a birthday present from daddy.

Dry mouthed Silus handed the money over, his attention never wavering from cheerful Aubrey. He wasn't sure why he was helping her, other than out of some loyalty for giving him a job to distract himself with. Working for her had probably kept him out of trouble and that was a favor worth repaying.

"Worry about paying backs someone who wants your money," Silus grumbled.

"That's really kind of you," Aubrey responded. "Thanks. It's hard to believe someone as nice as you ended up in the slammer."

Silus held Aubrey with a look that reached out from every ugly spot in his soul. Years of murder, rape, and abuse both given and received, rolled out of his body in a black wave. The tendrils of evil acts committed licked against Aubrey's face as she stood their dumb to its effects. Holding firm despite the rage in Silus's eyes Aubrey assured herself that whatever had upset him would pass and everything would be okay.

"This is your last chance Aubrey," Silus warned her, his voice and body grim. "I won't have a guard keeping me on my best behavior anymore. Trust me when I say, if you knew me, if you ever really knew me, your face would lose its color and you'd grow ill with hatred. I am a murder Aubrey, a slave driver, a monster. I could very easily forget what civilization has invested in me and bend you into a creature so deprived of love or kindness that she has no joy but that which is abominable."

Sanity made Aubrey afraid of him when he said these things, but desperation quelled that fear in the cool waters of want. She needed Silus to be a steady man, and not the monster he promised. So she saw Silus as the man she needed and not the promised villain. After all he'd fought for her when she couldn't hire anyone else in the yard to do such a thing. If he could stand by her side with almost nothing to gain except her friendship then the least she could do was have faith that his words were exaggerations.

"Stop being so dramatic," was Aubrey's response as she walked over to Beth to take the knife Silus had bought her.

A twinge in Silus's neck caused him to jerk his head to the side in order to release the pressure. The caravan started up and he walked forward with Aubrey struggling to keep up with his long gait. He wouldn't help her keep up, it wasn't his place to coddle the weak. Aubrey had made her decision, and now she would have to live with it.

* * *

><p>It was nighttime before Silus was alone and rested enough to endure going through the pack Boyd had sent to him. A few swigs from the whiskey the caravan was passing around had helped to take the edge off, and now the giant teetered like a child as he walked. The camp fire on the other side of the rocks he hid behind provided just enough light to see the contents of the pack once he dumped them on the ground.<p>

Caps shined up from the dirt with the dull glow of worn aluminum. He counted the metal disks, popping them back inside of the bag for safe keeping. Next he found several dried rations, ammo for his gun, an extra clip, a few toiletries, and a note. The piece of paper was brown and old, obviously not something from Boyd's personal desk.

Easing the paper open as if a snake might be waiting inside of the fold, Silus read the note:

_Simon,_

_I hope you like your new name, it should be easy enough for a thug like you to remember. I gave more thought to that slave collar you offered, decided to pass. I sold your centurion armor to a collector who seemed eager to own something genuine from the Legion. I sold most of your weapons too, except for the one that's wrapped in your cape. I got a good deal on a replacement handgun that wasn't Legion issue. Figured the remainders of your past would cause you enough problems. Don't fuck up and get arrested again. Not that I expect a Leopard to change his spots. Keep this and never forget who you really are, I know I never will._

_Boyd_

Curiously Silus grabbed his old cape and unwrapped the blade it was covering. He held up the Machete Gladius that had served him so well over the years and examined it in the moonlight. Every scratch, chink, and discoloration on the blade was known to Silus by heart. Each flaw was a story of victorious battle. In a way he was glad it had come back to him, as the sword had always proved faithful to him.

Awestruck that Boyd had saved the one thing he would have regretted losing forever, Silus ran his finger along the edge to make sure it was sharp. It wasn't until he saw the bull on the hilt that he paused and felt his stomach grow sour. He dropped the sword in the dirt as if looking at it might conjure the spirit of Caesar himself. Suddenly he hated Boyd for returning such an item. The Gladius was a telling weapon, no one in the wastes of America made such blades except Legion, and that it carried the bull on it was even more damning.

If he was caught with such a thing by a ranger or a veteran of the NCR he would have a hard time explaining himself. What if Aubrey saw it and realized who he was? That thought forced Silus to look over the rocks at Aubrey as she sat by the fire swapping stories, oblivious to his upset. Fevered he rewrapped the Machete Gladius back in his old cape and gingerly placed it in his pack. His worried thoughts began to realize that he wouldn't be the only man walking this side of the NCR with a weapon like this these days. Surely they had been looted as trophies from the bodies of fallen Centurions in the battle for Hoover Dam. He could probably even carry it and claim it had been a prize of war returned to him by a friend after he got out of jail. Only a half lie if you looked at it the right way.

Distracted, Silus didn't notice as Aubrey stood up from the campfire and came over to the rock. She cleared her throat and squatted down next to him, causing him to jump slightly. He eyed Aubrey for some time before she spoke her peace. "A girlfriend send you something to make you miss her?"

"I never had a kind word for Boyd," Silus growled at the thought of the woman, "I'd let her be my companion in hell."

Something about what he just said struck Aubrey as funny, as she leaned back against the rocks. Next to him she felt more mellow and relaxed. "Free sky is better than a caged one I'll say."

Looking up at the naked stars under the sky of California Silus found himself bewitched by the heavens. Rubbing his shoulders he thought about stories he heard about telling your fortune by the stars and he wondered what news they had for him tonight. Brutality superstitious, if anyone had given him any clue that they could divine in such a manner he would have taken their every word as gospel. Sadly for Aubrey she was never educated on such cosmic curiosities and was left an illiterate ex-theif sitting next to a man whose dangers would have to be subdued in another fashion.

Thinking she knew what her companions thoughts were directed towards Aubrey pointed at the large orb of the moon. She had always been the sort who chose to regard things which were closer rather than that which was immeasurably far away. "I heard that people once lived on the moon in a base. They said they were trying to bring water to it so that they could grow crops and survive. Can you imagine men riding back and forth on fire crackers to the moon?"

An annoyed exhalation from Silus set Aubrey on edge. She looked at him, hoping to glean what it was she said that bothered him, but was unable break though his façade. Unable to understand Silus's moof Aubrey chose to wait patiently for him to break the quite. Instead of assisting her he continued to stare out into nothing as if it was somehow entertaining.

"Why haven't you fucked me yet?" was the blurted question that finally got Silus to pay attention to Aubrey.

"Why haven't I what?" was his stuttered response.

"Most men would have had me in a secretive corner in the yard," Aubrey recited, "or paid off a guard to look the other way while we went into a shower together. You never seemed interested and I wanted to know if it was something I did or said."

Heavy breath escaped Silus's nose, his voice low, "I never want to see you cry like that. I don't know why, but I just don't want to upset you and make you hate me."

"I doubt your dick is that big," Aubrey laughed and that angered Silus for a reason he couldn't explain.

Before the conversation had time to continue a loud popping sound echoed through the desert, alerting the couple to trouble. Reaching into his pack Silus produced the Machete Gladius , discarding the cape on the ground as he did so. He stood now, watching as four raiders picked over the bodies of the caravan members whom they had just killed. The pack Boyd had sent had proved to be salvation, otherwise Silus and Aburey wouldn't have hidden behind their rock to shuffle through the items and talk.

"If we're quite they might not know we are here and leave," Aubrey pleaded with Silus, pulling her own knife.

"No, we deserve what's on this caravan more than these vultures," he threatened and jumped forward over the rocks onto a raider who was armed with a gun.

Blood and sweat spun round as the fight ensued. Silus proved skillful with his sword, amazing Aubrey by how fast he could disarm and kill a foe. He had proved himself in hand to hand combat in the prison many a time, but now she was witnessing a man who had been raised to be a weapon. The distraction of how fast and well he could slaughter almost proved too distracting, but she did manage to sneak up behind a female raider who was going through the Brahmin packs and slit her throat. Probably this woman was going to take what she could grab and flee on her own from Silus, and Aubrey had deigned her the privilege.

Breathing heavy Silus looked at the dead bodies at his feet and then listened for any sounds of movement around him. A small noise came from over where the cattle were and started to move towards him. Shoving his sword forward and asking questions later Silus deflected his blow only at the last minute to avoid killing Aubrey. The small redheaded woman paused and looked up at him. For the first time Aubrey witnessed Silus, not as a large brooding man with a secret, but as a remorseless killer. It was disconcerting in the most basic and violent ways.

Lowering his blade slowly, Silus stepped back and bowed his head, "I'm sorry. I'd never hurt you on purpose, I hope you know that."

"Where did you learn to do that?" Aubrey asked, still stunned.

"You don't want to know the answer to that," Silus warned.

"I think I have a right to know who I'm traveling with," Aubrey protested. She held out her hands, beckoning for him to assure her that he was safe, that something in the wasteland was safe. He refused to console her.

"We need to take the Brahimin and move," Silus said, collecting guns off of the dead bodies "I'm going to bet those weren't the only Raiders in the area, and our gun shots might attract their friends. Grab the leads to the Brahmin and help me load up what weapons we can scavenge."

Before he enact his plan Silus winced as Aubrey asked, "What is that symbol on your sword?"

Struck silent Silus looked down at the dried blood on his machete, none of which obscured the bull. He turned the familiar weapon, watching at the light from the campfire revealed his shame. Digesting this set of circumstances he slid the weapon into a holster one of the raiders were carrying and clipped it to his belt. Next he collected the items he had looted and began tying them to the Brahmin, ignoring Aubrey as she watched him in shock.

"Simon, why do you have a Legion sword?" Aubrey questioned with a hint of threat to her voice.

Still ignoring her question he finished lashing down the excess weapons to the cow, save for one gun, which he checked the clip on. Turning with a satisfied nod Silus offered the butt of the gun to Aubrey, hoping this would reinstall her faith in him. He had thoughtfully tucked it into a belt holster lifted off of one of the bodies, and she took the weapon nervously into her hands. She was shaking as if she was afraid, her eyes unwilling to meet his, and he felt disgusted with himself.

"We need to leave," He asked more than stated.

"Simon, what should I do?" Aubrey inquired of Silus, her eyes tired and worn. Suddenly age and the tension of the wastes had crawled into Aubrey's normally lively features and torn away all signs of youth. He hadn't kidded himself that she was as young as her height and statue would lead one to think, she carried herself as a woman in her late twenties would. It made him sick to see her age like this right before his eyes, and that sick mixed with self loathing and caused him to lash out.

"My name isn't Simon Lamonte," he spat at her like he expected his venom to finally kill the specter in front of him. "It's Silus, it means snub nosed in Latin. I don't have a last name because none was ever given to me. If I really have to explain anything else to you at this point I'm going to be disappointed."

Silus didn't need to look at her anymore; he knew the look of horror filling her eyes. If he had turned out to be a great snake which tried to devour her it would have been more forgivable. So he gorged himself on the pain he was feeling now, knowing it would fuel his anger into something that could get both of them clear of this camp and all of the death in it. His emotions whipped up into a fervent tempest Silus finally steeled himself to look into Aubrey's face, and fought back the urge to strike out in a rage when he saw what he predicted.

"If you're Legion why do you have land in Oregon?" Aubrey said as she tried to invent any reason she could that what she knew of him was wrong.

Scoffing at how stupid she was proving to be, Silus shook his head just like he would have at a shell shocked soldier. "Didn't you hear about the Centurion captured at camp McCarran? Do I really need to sit you down as if you're a child and go over every simple detail of what happened? I made a deal, Aubrey. I made a deal with the NCR for my life in exchange for information that helped destroy the only world I've ever known. Now I've grown tired of the filthy maggots we left behind at the NCRCF and want to have a simple life as a famer."

Having spoken his fill Silus grabbed the reigns to the Brahmin and began to lead them in the direction he deemed safest. One of the items he'd taken off the caravaners was a pip-boy with the maps to his new home on it. In the morning he'd get his bearings and head off in the right direction, but right now he needed to get away from this place.

With his first step he promised himself that if she stayed or left him he needed to be unmoved by Aubrey's decision. She was just one woman in a million, and she wouldn't know where he was going anymore than he did without the maps. Probably her demands by the fire as to why they had not consummated their relationship was the only and last time a woman would ever seek Silus out as a partner, and he was unable to afford to fret over this right now.

To his amazement she followed him, holding on to one of the Brahmin in the dark. Aubrey walked along beside the beast like an automaton, or worse yet a soldier who dumbly followed orders without thinking. He hated her now with a cultivated and refined hatred he had once bent to use against Caesar. Once he found a rocky overlay to rest under, he propped his back against the wall, weapons close bye, and watched the night for more raiders. He was unaffected when Aubrey made her camp on the other side of the Brahmin from him. If she was still there in the morning Silus would say nothing to her and walk along until her commonsense got the better of her and she fled.


	6. Chapter 6

_Sorry these have been so late. I'm still working on this and my Oblivion fic. I'm afraid I'm rewriting one of my longer fics so that is mostly OC, so I can put it up for offer online. I also just finished editing an all original novel I wrote in November. So busy busy busy. I've got the last chapter to this written, I just need to go over it some. Sorry, I've been putting fan fiction on the back burner so I can focus on writing as a business. _

_Wish me luck!_

_Review if you like it, hate it, want more, want less, think I should just STFU. Thanks for reading!_

* * *

><p>A mundane conversation about basic survival was the only words to pass between Aubrey and Silus over the next few days. Aubrey's defeated companionship wove Silus' hatred around him like a blanket used to keep out the cold. He pulled this fibrous loathing to him and made into a shell with which to buffer him from his friend's eventual rejection. Every time he looked at her she seemed lost in thought, obviously weighing her decision to follow him against a million unknown variables. Sadly he was incapable of hoping for the best.<p>

As they walked the low desert scrub changed from weird twisted bushes and trees to a steady path of green. From this green grass healthy tree's began to emerge, a few baring early fruit. On occasion they would even encounter a watering hole which was either marked with a radiation symbol or a smiling face. Mistrusting of wasteland markings Silus always checked the water sources with the salvaged Pip-boy before drinking the water.

By late afternoon the couple had come across a spring located inside of a carved out rock crevice. The limestone lining the spring served as a filter for the liquid and made the water purer than anything Silus or Aubrey ever drank before. They booth took the opportunity to relax. The quite shifting of the trees combining with the ambient noise of the water made the travelers sleepy premature to sundown

In an attempt to fight the lethargy filling her body Aubrey reached her cupped hands into the water and splashed it on her face. She sat up and looked at Silus, surprised that he was watching her as she washed her face, and was quickly shamed by the look of disapproval that crawled across his eyes. His coldness had been as shocking to her as his admission of being ex-Legion, not that he had ever been a warm person. It was obvious he was keeping her at arm's length, expecting her to decide his sins were too great and flee. In truth she knew she should leave, but the options she had in the other direction were as bad or worse.

"It's so nice here I almost wish we were staying," Aubrey said as she stared off into the trees, unable to face Silus, but hoping to make some peace at least.

The wind picked up for a second, rustling the leaves, giving Aubrey something to listen to other than Silus's quite. She didn't need to look to know he was standing there debating his next statement. When he spoke she steeled herself for disappointment at his words, and of course they were cruel, "Then stay if you want."

Of course he was flippant; it was his natural reaction to everything around him. Sometimes when he walked she swore she could see him swelling up with his own praise, building himself up so that no one could tear him down. It was a sign he was frailer than others. Unfortunately Silus didn't know that she could see past his façade. If he did find out Aubrey was sure he would finally just leave her.

Unable to continue with things as they are, Aubrey sighed and began an explanation that would at least satisfy her. "I don't want to stay here because I want to go with you. Because I ain't any better than you are."

If her confession moved Silus he showed no sign. Aubrey even dared a glance out of the side of her eyes to make sure he was at least still within range to listen. To her astoundment he said, "You're an idiot for staying with me. You know who I am, so you should protect yourself and leave. I can promise you will be safe from anything I can keep from hurting you Aubrey, but I can't promise that you'll ever be safe from me."

"You're a sinner," she laughed. He grew ridged with those words, the image of Frumentarii standing in lines as tribes, cities, and people burned. Torture, forced slavery, smoke, and the ruination of identity. His hands were covered in blood as a man with a raspy voice read off the errors the people had committed. Not being in Legion. Not being Loyal to Legion. This was always the worst sin of all. The sin he had committed above all else and the sin he should die for if Caesar still had any power left.

"Running away won't give you any shelter," Aubrey's voice brought Silus back to the here and now. "If I know where you're going in your head, you don't have solace. Tell the truth, you just have misery to hide in."

"What do you know about me?" Silus growled, angry that she was right.

"That' you're not the only sinner left walking free in the desert," Aubrey was standing in front of him now, her body seemed weak like the branch from a willow tree. Silus guessed that he could crush her easily and the look in her eye told him that she might not fight it.

He had nothing to say to her words so he grunted and looked away.

"The worst crime I ever committed was not the one I went to jail for," Aubrey began as Silus gave her a doubting look. Opening her mouth to tell him what she knew she had to, Aubrey found only air and no words, so she closed her mouth and looked over towards the water. This garnered a moment of sympathy from Silus, as he had too often brag about the things he most regretted and felt disgust at himself for ever putting voice to the deeds.

Aubrey was crying. He didn't realize it at first; she was very quiet about it. Probably a trait learned from being in prison in years. Yet thick beads of water rolled down her cheeks as the red head pushed away from Silus' look and walked towards the pack Brahmin with all of her things on it. She started to sift through one of the satchels and seemed to catch herself taking action just to distract her mind from her memories. Covering her face with her hand she sighed and shook her head.

Cursing himself already for being weak Silus closed the gap between him and Aubrey. Once he was close enough he placed both of his hands on her shoulders. She was brittle under his touch, and threatened to snap like dried wood. This new, gentile ,nature spread from Aubrey to Silus and he pressed her to his chest to let her know that he understood, even if she said nothing else, he at least understood her self-loathing.

Once he let her go Aubrey seemed to sputter as if she didn't know what to make of his sudden affection. Certainly he rarely understood the need for it, but somehow it seemed like the appropriate thing to do in this moment. He watched her now, expecting Aubrey to run off or curse him. In fact Aubrey felt torn, and a rip started in the back of her thoughts and spread down her back leaving her exposed.

"I had a son," She stammered, moving as if her words had placed her off balance in a way that was irrevocable.

"I've had my own children," Silus responded, the admission leaving him numb.

"Really?" Aubrey asked, hoping that his confidence would somehow make this easier.

"Of course. Caesar demanded that all of his servants breed soldiers," Silus told her with an empty voice, as if he dealt with this by never feeling the effect of it. "I never knew them. They were taken from my slaves as soon as they were born. They were raised by priestesses as slaves or soldiers."

An uneasy laugh broke from Silus's lips and he wished he could ride away on the wind. "Not that a soldier or a slave are very different in Legion…"

Darkness twisted around the two people despite the sunshine. Thoughts and realizations about the fate of Silius's children ended as unspoken sacrifices on the edge of scared lips. It didn't need to be said so nothing would be said. Instead Silus prompted Aubrey, hoping to get away from the water before nightfall came. "What happened to your son?"

Bright eyes looked at him for a moment then recollections silenced the brilliance. Aubrey pulled one of the Brahmin, signaling that she'd rather move while they talked. So they headed a few feet away from the pure clean water before she told him. "I don't really know, but he's probably dead."

Wanting to ask if the NCR took her son away when she was arrested Silus thought it wiser than to speak and simply listened. After all she'd taken his confession, brooded mutely over whatever horror she held in her mind, and now felt that her mistakes were equalizing.

"I was part of a theft ring with a hide out between Shady Sands and New Reno," she began. "It was mostly petty shit at first and we'd just coordinate it so none of us got caught too easy. I was a good-looking kid; fresh form the streets, so I was a good distraction. I was also good at picking pockets. Then I got knocked up. I guess I don't really know who his dad was. Could've been our leader Jason. Could've been a couple of guys I slept with to get something I wanted. I'm not real proud of that part."

Aubrey looked at Silus once this part of her confession was done and noticed he was looking at her with judgment in his eyes. She knew someone from the Legion wouldn't be impressed with licentious female behavior, but he was keeping his disproval to himself. Not wanting her conversation to attract unwanted attention she walked up closer beside him. The cattle they were leading walked on either side as they moved slowly down the narrow path between the trees.

"The gang grew, and when my boy was three we were a force to be reckoned with," Aubrey continued. "I think we fucked up when we got bold and showed up on the strip to pick pocket people coming out of the casinos. Easy targets, gamblers. Trick is you look for someone coming out of the casino like they got something to hide, or just being real damn giddy. Second trick is to not take it all, just enough they will think they were excited and counted wrong."

Self disappointment was palpable as Aubrey continued her story. "The more I think about it, the more stupid it was. House had eyes everywhere they said, but we thought we were untouchable. One night, a few weeks later, we had a really big heist to pull off in New Reno, took the whole crew… and that's when I got busted by the NCR."

"So the NCR took your kid and he's probably fine," Silus interrupted. He wasn't impressed with her story thus far. He knew she was a thief, how good she was at it had little bearing.

"No, the NCR didn't take my kid," She shrieked in anger. "I left him at our hideout with nobody there. I left him alone because we needed every man, and a three year old was a liability."

"So someone from your gang probably went back to the hide out to check on him," Silus prompted, wondering if he was trying to comfort her for some reason.

"No, they got us all in the bust. I seen my men dead and handcuffed, each one. It was like the walls had eyes and knew everywhere we went. That's why I think House pulled some strings and got us caught. Teaching some no good thieves what the price is of stealing from his gamblers. Nah. I went to jail screaming about my kid and the location of our base, even though my leader said he was gonna slit my throat. I cried every night, begged the NCR to go get him, to save his life. I left him with enough food and water for only four days; I was supposed to be back by then."

Breaking off the conversation Aubrey looked at the first star of night rising on the edge of the sky along with the moon. It was always queer to her to see the night things in the evening sun, but there they were. Seeing the moon out of its natural setting stirred her heart worse than the blank blue sky would have and she looked at the dirt as she walked across it. A thousand footsteps had made this path and would never know such a wretched woman walked here.

Unable to bring himself to look at Aubrey, Silus tried not to imagine such a small boy left to starve in a metal shack. He doubted the thieves den was in a populated area, so even if the child had escaped he was probably unable to fend for himself. Still he arrived at one conjecture that might bring comfort to Aubrey, "Maybe the NCR people you told about the base went to investigate and saved your child."

"They thought I was crazy and rambling," she commented. "Though maybe it's possible they went and got him. As slow as they move it might or might not have been fast enough to save him. Still I guess they might have gone to recover our loot. I doubt it though; they seemed to take it as nothing worth noting. I would think they have more parentless children than they know what to do with."

"It's hope," Silus sighed as if the very word annoyed him.

"I can't have that hope or I'll go mad looking for him," Aubrey whimpered, "I could have been a better mother all around. I'm disgusting for leaving him alone like that and I don't think anyone should ever forgive me for having killed my son in such a way."

"What was his name?" Silus asked. He seemed introverted now and Aubrey was sure her confession had isolated her from the one friend she had in the world.

"Phillip," she answered.

"Phillip," Silus repeated. "If my children are living, do you know that I wouldn't even know their names? I had no rights to any of my children. Not even the right to pass down my name to them."

A soft smile parted on Aubrey's lips and she pointed towards the right, "We should probably move over and make camp before it's too dark. I'd like to see if we can't catch some game."

Following her lead Silus helped her find a clear spot between the trees and then some wood for a fire. Camp was easier to set up in this area, but more dangerous for the cover it gave raiders. They made short work of a fire, and Aubrey managed to successfully kill a small Gecko to roast. As they ate their dinner, no words passed between the two travelers, but also no animosity grew in Silus's heart. Knowing that Aubrey was flawed, even if her crimes paled in comparison to some of his own, gave him peace in the fact she understood mistakes and trying to make up for them.

* * *

><p>Oregon had even more trees than Silus expected. The map on the Pip-boy that Aubrey had fitted to her arm lead them to an ill traveled road that eventually stopped at a settlement. In the town was a municipal office and Silus looked over some paperwork he had been given, which directed him to speak to the mayor of the city about the land he would claim. Inside Silus found out he had been given a small farm too far away to walk comfortably to, but just close enough he could easily trade goods easily.<p>

It was late afternoon when they arrived in the town, called Leafton, and by the time Silus had met with the mayor to settle his affairs it was coming on evening. As he left the municipal building, which doubled as a residence for the mayor's family, Silus asked about lodging for him and Aubrey.

"Well there is a bunk house near where you entered the town," The mayor said, "But you can also rent a room from Sid and Janet across the street from here."

Inquiring at the bunkhouse Aubrey and Silus found that no vacancies were available, and unwilling to risk their lives traveling in darkness, they boarded their Brahmin in someone's yard for a few caps then went to the boarding house the mayor had spoken of. Fortunately for Silus and Aubrey the inn had a room free. Unfortunately it was just a single room, the other one having been let by a long term tenant. Inside the room was a narrow bed and a rag rug. No other furniture filled the small space, but the textiles on the bed made it seem luxurious for two people used to sleeping on the ground. This left the difficult decision of who slept where.

Secrets now aired and dealt with, Silus and Aubrey had an easier time of being together, and a fondness had grown between them again. Yet the idea of sharing a bed on the eve of moving on to a new home seemed prophetic to the couple, even if they weren't sure they were ready to deal with its ramifications. Silus pulled a blanket from the foot of the bed and nestled in among the hard woven ridges of the rag rug. It wasn't as bad as sleeping on the ground with nothing to keep you warm or cushion your body, and he'd done that exact thing enough times while serving the Legion. Aubrey didn't protest his move and instead asked him sweetly if he was sure.

"Tomorrow we will be at the house," he said firmly. "I'm going to bet the sleeping situation isn't much better there. From what the mayor tells me the house has been uninhabited for some time, and their might not be much furniture. At that point I have to decide what I want to do with you, so I might as well spend this night walled in next to you so that you can get used to my snoring."

"You do snore like the devil started up a chainsaw," Aubrey teased. "What makes you sure I won't stay in my own room away from you? Maybe I just want to be your friend Silus."

"You're taken with me," His voice was extremely cocky. "If you weren't you'd have run off when I told you who I really was. I'm pretty sure if you were to see me naked you'd throw you lusty profligate body against mine and demand to bring my strong babies into the world."

Something about Silus's self assurance made Aubrey laugh. Of course this bold bit of bravado was his way of coping with the fact he was still afraid she'd leave him. She could almost read him like a book. "Are you so confident in yourself that you think you can drive a woman to sexual madness," her tone was kidding.

"Woman," Silus spoke almost as if it was an insult, "I am resplendent. Do not forget that."

Both laughed at this, only with decidedly more abandon on Aubrey's part. She peered down from the edge of the wooden bed at Silus's golden eyes, and noticed he was smiling at her with more ease than he had afforded himself since she had known him. At first she was barely aware that she was smiling back, but something about who he was right now gave her confidence that they could start a life together.

Certainly Aubrey had nowhere else to go, but even if it were not the case she wasn't sure she would leave. After all she had to believe in salvation from her own past. In this moment of perceived grace, Aubrey then had to extend the healing hand of time and nature to Silus, and hope that he too was lying in this room smiling at the chance to start a better life. Perhaps two people who had been so weighed down by ill deed could learn to live an honest life, absent of the forces that twisted their fate into something sallow. A life worth living, carved from stone and blood, to stand testament to the will of two strangers made friends.


	7. Chapter 7

The tree's parted and a field opened up to show two small buildings. Aubrey and Silus found themselves walking faster with excitement as the house grew closer. The larger building was a small farm house that had been repaired with reclaimed wood after the war. Standing outside of the building Silus looked up at the walls and made note of obvious repair needs. The house had been empty just long enough that a few holes had grown in the wood and roof, but nothing structural seemed threatened from the outside. Quietly the two humans began lifting the packs from the Brahmin and storing the goods within easy reach of the House's back door.

"We should put the Brahmin up before we go in," Silus said as he turned to examine the lean-to on the far side of a fenced off field. As they walked the animals over Silus examined several places where the fence had collapsed and would need to be repaired before the animals could graze.

The two quickly became distracted with left over items that had been carelessly tossed into the lean-to. Several old horse shoes, a couple of tin cans, and a broken lantern were left in the dusty earth. A soft creaking noise caught the attention of Silus and Aubrey, and they turned to see a man walking towards them leading his own two headed beast. The man's Brahimin was pulling a cart that seemed to be filled with rough cut lumber. The old man stopped at the fence parameter, removed a well worn cap, and waved the couple over to him. Curious about the strangers Silus and Aubrey proceeded over to the man displaying the caution taught to them by life in the wasteland.

"Names Jacob," The man shouted as they came near. He was armed with a pistol at his side and looked like he was still very strong despite his age. "The town's mayor asked me to bring you some worked wood to fix your fence. He came by earlier today to tell me you had cattle. By the looks of it you have two females, if you're going to keep them perhaps we can come to an arrangement about breeding them with my bull. He's healthy and pulls a plow fine. Won't let you put bags on him though. All his children have been kind as can be so far."

It took Silus a few minutes to process what the stranger was saying. Kindness was a peculiarity Silus hadn't had much exposure to, so in a state of confusion he asked, "You want to fix my fence… for how much?"

Good humor colored the smile on the old man's face. He'd met people from the wastes before and knew that their ways were not those of this town. "Here now, I'm the grandson of an original settler to this area. My grandfather was there when the Vault Dweller used the GECK to restore nature to these parts of the wastes. Since then it's been a strong community, working together to restore life to something worth living. I'm here because you need a new fence, and I can spare the time and wood today. Tomorrow maybe you can come and help me dig an irrigation channel for my crops. We work like that. Next week I plan to come help you patch up your hose some and reinforce that old lean-to."

Doubt clouded Silus's mind as the man's motivations still alluded him. Before Silus could say something stupid Aubrey put her hand on his arm and silenced him. "I am Aubrey and this is Sy. Thank you very much for all your help. We're going to need it and more I fear."

"Not farmers," Old Jacob noted as he started to unload a wooden plank and fit it between a tripod formed with older pieces of wood. Aubrey extended her hands and moved to help Jacob, who handed her wire from his belt and told her to reinforce the wrapping around another stacked part of the fence.

Finding himself the only one not working, Silus walked to the back of the cart and unloaded several pieces of wood in order to make the burden easier. The three of them worked for a few hours, until the Brahmin pen was reinforced enough that the cattle wouldn't escape easily. At the end the old man walked the couple over to an old fashioned hand crank pump and showed them how to pull water from the earth.

"You'll have basic plumbing in the house," Jacob told them, "but no hot water. I would be careful what I flush too, your septic system ain't much more than a hole downstream of the drinking water we all use. You got an old wood burning oven and plenty of wood all around you. I converted the oven for the former owners myself."

"What happened to the former owners," Aubrey asked.

"One died and the other moved in with her grandkids," Jacob answered. "Don't worry your heads about the one that died either, he was an old man in his bed when it happened. Nature just saw fit to take him."

Watching the old man as he talked to Aubrey, Silus had the notion that he could possibly live to be as old as Jacob now. Certainly Jacob was going a little bald, and his arms were thinner than a young man's, but the muscles on his arms still showed that he'd had a life of hard work helping others and himself. The ways of the wastes taught that bandits and others had occasionally made a nuisance everywhere, but Jacob seemed to have survived any attacks. Still to be so old and not be slave seemed almost as odd to Silus as the idea that he might live to be as old as Jacob.

Having finished showing the couple how to keep their pump in working order, Jacob took the cap from his head and waved to them as he hopped on his cart and lead his Brahmin away. Over his shoulder Jacob called out, "Don't forget, in the spring we'll breed your cows to my bull. It looks like they would have strong calves."

Standing under the setting sun's rays Silus tried to process all of the information the old man had given him about breeding Brahmin and keeping animals. In his stunned silence Silus turned to look at Aubrey who shrugged her shoulders and smiled at him nervously. Faced now with the prospect of entering their new home, Aubrey let out a long breath, not realizing she had had been holding hers all this time. Weaving her fingers into Silus's the former Legionary turned and looked at Aubrey curiously, then smiled as he turned the key to his lock and entered the house.

The insides were a mess, trash and old moldy furniture lined the floors. Somehow leaves had managed to blow inside, and that combined with cobwebs left a telling state of disrepair. Feeling a little disappointed by the mess both of them stepped into the kitchen from the back porch, settling their bags on the dusty kitchen table. There were not chairs to go with the table, but they could be replaced fairly easy.

The living room wasn't in any better condition, and it looked like someone had snuck in through a boarded up window to smash bottles. The more of the house they explored the more they realized how light on furniture they were. Luckily the tub in the bathroom seemed in good repair and Aubrey voiced her desire to enjoy a warm bath later. On the second floor were two rooms, one with bunk beds and the other with a long metal frame holding a king sized mattress.

Aubrey found herself transfixed by the large bed and expectantly turned to look at Silius who was rubbing his shoulder awkwardly. For the first time he found himself unsure what to do with a woman and he didn't know why. He'd forced himself upon enough slaves to know the basic mechanics of what Aubrey would eventually want from him, but the idea that he would have to take more care of her needs too nagged at the back of his mind.

"We've got a lot to clean up, but I wonder if we have any linens to put on the bed," Aubrey said, distracting a grateful Silus from his thoughts.

"It seems like the last residents took almost everything," Silus responded. "I guess you can look for that while I make a broom to push out some trash. I think the dry brush on the edge of the property might work."

Nodding Aubrey walked into the small adjoining bathroom and started to examine an ancient closet. Inside she found a few towels and a set of antique sheets with an ornate flower pattern on them. At the bottom of it all was a simple fur blanket that would be too warm for the spring nights. Aubrey took the sheets down to the kitchen sink and began to wash them out, making a note that one of their travel blankets would serve better than the tanned fur for tonight.

* * *

><p>Walking with loose legs over to the sink Aubrey filled a pot and placed it on the stove. It was a big relief that she had been right about running the pipes for awhile to get the brown dirt out and Silus smiled at her while she stoked the logs on the fire. They were both exhausted from hiking , fixing the fence, and cleaning the house up and Aubrey was about to prepare a hot bath for them to use.<p>

Careening her neck over to look at Silus the small woman smiled at him with tired eyes and begged, "Turn on the water in the bath and fill it about a fourth of the way…once the water runs clear."

Silus nodded and followed her orders, waiting while she heated up one pot of water after another, until the water in the bath was hot to the touch. The Legionary ran his fingers through the liquid, enjoying how it eased the tension out of his knuckles. "You go ahead," Aubrey said, "I want to sit on the porch and watch the stars for a little bit. I'll start another pot and take the bath after you."

"Thank you," Silus said, humbled by all the kindness other people had shown him today. As soon as she left he made short work of his clothes, noticing she'd moved two towels to the bathroom. He lifted the hot water from the tub to his face and watched as it worked its way down scarred skin. Water was such a simple necessity, but years without dependable clean water had taught him to enjoy what he had gained.

Once his muscles had relaxed enough in the bath Silus dried himself, got dressed, and headed towards the porch. Aubrey's arms twisted around the front of her as if she was worrying and she once again looked very small and delicate. He reached out and touched her, as gentle as his huge paws would allow. She turned and looked at him as if she had just noticed he had joined her, and then relaxed against his touch. For some reason Silus found himself afraid of her, or at least what he might do to her tonight. Odd that she didn't seem to worry like his slaves always did.

The cool night air wafted between them and Aubrey turned to look up into the yellow eyes she had grown accustomed to. Maybe it was years in prison,, but she could sense his weakness. Her small hand rested against his high cheekbones and like she expected Silus stared at her as if he was afraid.

"I bet you're a terrible kisser," Aubrey mumbled.

In response to her words Silus's eyes grew a little wider. Luckily he caught the rude response that was about to make its way out of his mouth and ruin the moment. Instead he said, "I suppose you'd have to kiss me to find out."

So Aubrey reached up on her tip toes and kissed Silus. He stood there, stiff, almost pulling back from her touch. Then despite his reservations he leaned in and kissed her back. The red headed woman then closed one of her hands into his, opened the front door, and started to walk up the stairs to the bedroom. Silus trailed behind like a lost child, unable to process what was happening to him.

Once inside the bedroom she kissed him again, and he found her wrapped in his arms. His arms crushed her ribs, but Aubrey ignored the pain in hopes he would relax and enjoy himself. Placing her back on the ground Silus avoided looking at Aubrey, afraid she'd start to cry now. Instead Aubrey unbuttoned the work shirt she had given to him, unveiling his toned body. She led her hand down the center of his chest, and wrapped her fingers around the waist of his pants.

It was obvious that Silus was ready for her, but she wasn't quite ready for him. So Aubrey stepped back and slowly removed her clothes. She was lanky with a slight protrusion to her stomach left over from having had a child. It was a look Silus had seen before and always enjoyed because the roundness showed she was fertile. He allowed himself to touch her now. Firm hands moving across Aubrey's waist and grabbing her backside as she kissed him again.

This time Silus broke off the kiss, "Promise me," and then he paused and looked away from the naked woman in front of him.

"I can't promise you something when I don't know what I'm promising," Aubrey teased.

"Promise me that when we're done you won't cry like a little girl and hate me," Silus finished.

"You've never really had sex with a woman before, have you?" Aubrey asked with a stern quality to her eyes.

"I've fucked my faire share of slaves," Silus announced, his pride hurt.

"You fucked them, but you didn't care about them." Aubrey noted, "Now you care about me and you don't want to treat me like you did them. I guess I can live with that."

Anger lined Silus's eyes. Normally he'd slap a person for talking to him like that, but it seemed wrong to do that to Aubrey.

"It can be good for both of us Sy," she took his hand. "Let me show you."

Aubrey laid him back on the mattress and crawled on top of his body. When she kissed him now she let him know how much she wanted it. She was alive under his hands, on top of him, teasing him against the very edge of himself. Then when she opened his pants and placed him inside of her she moved in a way that made her body shake with unmistakable pleasure.

The way she twisted and moved over his body, her face flushed with crimson, spoke to her own desires. His whole life he'd been told that women could not enjoy sex and now he was inside of this woman and she was moaning. She rocked against him, her fingers trailing along her breasts then down to the top part of her sex. As her hand moved she kissing him again as if she couldn't bare not to have that contact. She proved Caesar and a dozen other Legion men wrong when she started to quake around his dick and screamed out to whatever deity would listen. Then when she arrived at orgasm again after a few moments he found his amazement sated and finished inside of her.

Once they were done she was still there next to him, planting shaky kisses on his chest and cooing gently into his ear. This touched Silus, who pulled her close and fought off a sadness seated in revulsion at all of the women he had refused such pleasure. How could he have anything but outrage and shame for the person he used to be?

Silus kissed her now, wishing he could cry and let these feelings explode. He wanted to tell her how she had saved him in this moment. Words couldn't do justice to what Aubrey had just shown him and somehow she seemed to know it. It was like a miracle when she ran her fingers through his now shoulder length black hair and smiled at him. They both knew he was still a son of a bitch, but in this moment they both felt the kind of love that comes out of having lived a hard life.

Cold and aloof Silus would never see himself as equal to anyone but her. Defiantly he would be cruel to her and make Aubrey second guess her decision to stay with him, but when he could he would reprimand himself and try to be a better man. After all at some point they would have food to grow, animals to tend to, and hopefully head strong children they could teach to be better people than either of them had ever been.


End file.
